Former Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean is regarded as one of the top defensive back prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft despite suffering a season-ending injury last year, fracturing his fibula during a practice ahead of Week 13.
But on Thursday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, DeJean revealed that he’s been officially medically cleared from his injury. But will not participate in workouts at this year’s combine, strictly meeting with teams ahead of the draft.
DeJean also said that he does not think he’ll work out at Iowa’s Pro Day on March 18, but does expect to put together a separate workout for NFL evaluators ahead of April’s draft.
“I’ve been rehabbing ever since,” DeJean said regarding his fractured fibula which required surgery. “[I] just started running full speed last week. I plan on working out at some point before the draft. … I am [medically] cleared. I’m just progressing right now.”
“I’ll work out some time before the draft … sometime definitely before the draft — early April,” DeJean added. “I just started running full speed last week, so I haven’t been able to train like I want to.”
DeJean was a unanimous consensus All-American last year despite not finishing the season, recording 41 tackles, defending five passes, and intercepting two passes in his 10 game appearances to go along with his 21 punt returns for 241 yards and one touchdown.
He burst onto the scene in 2022 in his first year as a stater with 75 tackles, eight pass breakups, and five interceptions. Returning three of those interceptions for touchdowns and returning 10 punts for 165 yards.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has DeJean ranked as the No. 15 player on his big board, forecasting him being selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 19 overall pick in his latest mock draft. With a major talking point surrounding DeJean ahead of the draft being if he’ll play on the inside or outside of the defense at the NFL level after playing at cornerback and safety during his college career.
“Being able to play multiple different positions, I think that’s an advantage coming into this league, to be able to play wherever they put me,” DeJean said. “It doesn’t matter to me, to be honest. I just want to play ball.”
DeJean not participating in the combine is disappointing given him being regarded as one of the best athletes in this year’s draft class. But him trending in the right direction following his injury is a great sign as the 2024 NFL Draft gets closer and closer.
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